About Us

Revolutionizing supplier payments with real-time settlements, AI-driven analytics, and seamless integration for retailers.

Our Story

iTEM was born from a harsh reality — over 80% of African suppliers, especially SMEs, are forced to wait months before receiving payments from retailers, even after their goods are sold. This broken system strangles cashflow, halts growth, and in many cases, shuts down promising businesses.

Our founder, Frank Mwakitakula, lived this reality firsthand while running a detergent manufacturing startup. Despite delivering quality products to large retail stores, delayed payments crippled his operations and eventually forced a shutdown. Frank knew something had to change.

He teamed up with Brian Nyagol, now iTEM’s Co-Founder and CTO, who had previously worked with Frank in building an e-commerce website for the manufacturing venture. Through that partnership and the routine client follow ups, Brian noticed something which they discussed and saw the systemic pain SMEs endure and together resolved to help design a technology-driven solution that truly works.

They were soon joined by Leonard Murombo, our CFO, a finance professional who had served as an accountant for another SME and had grown weary of the constant, unpaid follow-ups for overdue invoices. The cycle was exhausting and unsustainable.

Completing the team is Judy Mwende, our CMO, who runs a food processing business and nearly shut it down due to the stress of delayed payments. Her marketing leadership is rooted in real pain — and a drive to help other youth-led SMEs avoid the same fate.

Together, this team brings deep experience from the very trenches iTEM now aims to transform. We are not just solving a financial problem — we are creating a pathway for African SMEs to thrive with constant cashflow, trust, and data-driven growth.